Plasma-Beam Processing of Tools Made of SiAlON Dielectric Ceramics to Increase Wear Resistance When Cutting Nickel-Chromium Alloys

This research aimed at an increase in wear resistance of round cutting plates manufactured with SiAlON dielectric ceramics through deposition of wear-resistant coatings. To increase effectiveness of the coatings, their adhesion was improved by the removal of defective surface layers from the cutting plates before the deposition. As the depth of caverns and grooves appearing on the cutting plates due to manufacturing by diamond grinding reached 5 mu m, a concentrated beam of fast argon atoms was used for the removal of defective layers with a thickness exceeding the depth of caverns and grooves. At the equal angles of incidence to the front and back surfaces of the cutting wedge amounting to 45 degrees, two-hour-long etching of rotating cutting plates provided removal of defective layers with thickness of similar to 10 mu m from the surfaces. After the removal, the cutting edge radius of the plates diminished from 20 to 10 mu m, which indicates the cutting plates' sharpening. Wear-resistant TiAlN coatings deposited after the etching significantly improve the processing stability and increase wear resistance of the cutting plates by not less than 1.7 times.

Automated summary

This research aimed to enhance the wear resistance of round cutting plates made with SiAlON dielectric ceramics by depositing wear-resistant coatings. The adhesion of the coatings was improved by removing defective surface layers from the cutting plates. Wear-resistant TiAlN coatings deposited after etching significantly improved the processing stability and increased the wear resistance of the cutting plates by at least 1.7 times.